Jim Baker’s Music and Food for Thought

Jim Baker

Born October 19, 1943.  

Childhood memories are playing on the beach just down the street in Carmel-by-the-Sea, riding horses from Mrs. Green’s stables, hanging out at the Carmel record shop for bebop and Debussy, library, and having brunch at the Italian restaurant on the pier in Monterey. Later, returned to Esalen Institute and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center for spiritual retreats. 

As a grad student in history at the UO, I focused my field research and publishing on cowboy and hard-rock miner traditional culture in the northwest. While working with these local groups to identify collect traditions and changes in their lives, I applied insights from gerontology and group process consultation seminars. 

I studied twentieth century piano works with Gregory Short, DMA Composition, northwest composer of classical music and dear friend whose music was influenced by the vernacular compositions of Charles Ives. After meeting the artist Marj in the University Book Store music department, we combined records and married.

With our daughter an artist and the best son-in-law ever nearby, we enjoy the art scene in City of Edmonds, Kids First Viet Nam, Manx cats and The Steelhead Header Diner in Seattle’s Public Market. Still playing piano, I keep up my daily jazz tweets, and grow my social network on Facebook.

Education Background

• Doctoral courses and examinations, University of Oregon
• Masters of Arts, University of Oregon
• Bachelor of Arts, Willamette University

Business Background

• 2001 to 2008, Senior eLearning Specialist, Regence
• 1971 to 2001, Adjunct Faculty, Portland State University
• 1997 to 2000, Performance Systems Consultant, Intermec
• 1987 to 1996, Principal, J.R.C. Baker Associates
• 1975 to 1986, Semi-professional pianist